I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1443 

To protect the use of traditional hunting and fishing implements and to 

prevent unnecessary and unwarranted restrictions on the implements 

used by the hunting and fishing communities. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 8, 2011 

Mr. BROUN of Georgia (for himself, Mr. BOREN, Mr. ROSS of Arkansas, Mr. 

ALTMIRE, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. REHBERG, Ms. 

JENKINS, and Mr. MILLER of Florida) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Agriculture, for 

a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To protect the use of traditional hunting and fishing implements and to prevent unnecessary and unwarranted restrictions on the implements used by the hunting and 

fishing communities. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Outdoor Sports Protec5 tion Act’’. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 1443 IH

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds that— 

3 (1) millions of Americans of all ages enjoy rec4 reational fishing, sport shooting, and hunting; 

5 (2) those millions of anglers, sport shooters, 

6 and hunters are the primary source of funding for 

7 Federal and State wildlife and habitat conservation 

8 and management; 

9 (3) lead and other types of traditional fishing, 

10 shooting, and hunting implements have been used by 

11 Americans for hundreds of years; 

12 (4) alternative forms of sinkers and fishing 

13 lures are considerably more expensive than those 

14 made of traditional materials; consequently, a ban 

15 on traditional fishing implements would decrease 

16 fishing participation and impose significant addi17 tional costs on millions of Americans who fish; 

18 (5) alternative forms of ammunition and ammu19 nition components are considerably more expensive 

20 than those made of traditional materials, and can be 

21 difficult if not impossible to obtain; consequently, a 

22 ban on traditional ammunition would decrease par23 ticipation in the shooting sports and impose signifi24 cant costs on the millions of American hunters and 

25 sport shooters; 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 1443 IH

1 (6) any reduction in participation in fishing, 

2 hunting, and the shooting sports would greatly affect 

3 funding for Federal and State wildlife and habitat 

4 conservation; and 

5 (7) voluntary programs by hunters to reduce 

6 lead use have largely been successful, and in the ab7 sence of more definitive evidence of harm to the en8 vironment the Federal Government should not take 

9 steps to restrict the use of traditional hunting and 

10 fishing implements. 

11 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

12 In this Act: 

13 (1) TRADITIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING IM14 PLEMENT.—The term ‘‘traditional hunting and fish15 ing implement’’ means any— 

16 (A) firearm; 

17 (B) ammunition; 

18 (C) ammunition component; 

19 (D) fishing lure; 

20 (E) fishing sinker or weight; and 

21 (F) fishing line; 

22 that contains lead, zinc, copper, or brass. 

23 (2) FEDERAL PUBLIC LAND.— 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 1443 IH

1 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

2 subparagraph (B), the term ‘‘Federal public 

3 land’’ means any land or water that is— 

4 (i) owned by the United States; and 

5 (ii) managed by the Department of 

6 the Interior or the Department of Agri7 culture for purposes that include the con8 servation of natural resources. 

9 (B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘Federal pub10 lic land’’ does not include any land or water 

11 held in trust for the benefit of— 

12 (i) a federally recognized Indian tribe; 

13 or 

14 (ii) a member of a federally recog15 nized Indian tribe. 

16 SEC. 4. PROTECTION OF TRADITIONAL HUNTING AND FISH17 ING IMPLEMENT. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Envi19 ronmental Protection Agency shall not take action to pro20 hibit or otherwise restrict, based on material content, the 

21 manufacture, importation, sale, or use of any traditional 

22 hunting and fishing implement. 

23 (b) REPORT.—If the Administrator determines that 

24 the best scientific evidence available demonstrates that the 

25 use of any traditional hunting and fishing implement is 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 1443 IH

1 having or will have a substantially detrimental effect on 

2 the environment, the Administrator shall report those 

3 findings to Congress, with any recommendation that the 

4 Administrator may have for legislative action. 

5 SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON DEPARTMENTS OF THE INTERIOR 

6 AND AGRICULTURE. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to section 7, the Depart8 ment of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, 

9 including each agency and bureau of such Departments, 

10 shall not newly prohibit or limit, based on material con11 tent, the use of any traditional hunting and fishing imple12 ment on Federal public lands. 

13 (b) REPORT.—If the Secretary of the Interior or Sec14 retary Agriculture determines that the best scientific evi15 dence available demonstrates that the use of traditional 

16 hunting and fishing equipment is having or will have a 

17 substantially detrimental effect on the sustainability of a 

18 local fish or wildlife population, the Secretary shall report 

19 those findings to Congress, with any recommendation that 

20 the Secretary or Secretaries may have for legislative ac21 tion. 

22 SEC. 6. STATE COMPLIANCE. 

23 Subject to section 7, no State or territory of the 

24 United States shall be eligible for any funding or appor25 tionment under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife RestoraVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:19 Apr 11, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1443.IH H1443

srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 1443 IH

1 tion Act (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.) or the Dingell-Johnson 

2 Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777 et seq.) if the 

3 State or territory prohibits or otherwise restricts, based 

4 on material content, the sale or use of any traditional 

5 hunting and fishing implement. 

6 SEC. 7. EXCEPTIONS. 

7 Nothing in this Act affects the Department of the 

8 Interior’s, Department of Agriculture’s, a State’s, or a ter9 ritory’s authority to prohibit or limit, based on material 

10 content, the types of traditional hunting and fishing imple11 ments used for hunting and fishing to the extent a specific 

12 law or regulation is in effect on the date of enactment 

13 of this Act. 

Æ 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS